Toothpick Bridge Goodblueprints

J -Stuff: Mädchenfest Hina Matsuri / Doll Festival

Today on the third March is celebrated in Japan, the Girls' Festival "Hina Matsuri . This festival is celebrated ever since the Edo period , is not an official holiday.
Hina Matsuri means " Doll Festival" in Japan but also often " Momo-no-sekku "(Peach Festival), since to flower begin at the time the peach blossoms.

pray On this day the people for the happiness, health, and welfare of the girl. Families with daughters provide most by mid-February, covered with red cloth stepped Platform ( hi-Mosen ), which can have up to eight stages, with traditionally dressed dolls ( hinaningyō ) on. These are an imperial couple of Heian period together with household present for the wedding and be in a specific order placed. At the top of the imperial couple, including the three ladies, one level lower is five musicians with their instruments, including two armed guards, and then three chamberlains. Overall, the set of 15 dolls with matching furniture and accessories.

Since this is not good but Doll set and can cost several 100,000 ¥, they are often passed down within families. Mostly as a gift for the birth or the first birthday of her daughter. Many families are limited but often only on the Doll set the imperial couple. On this
and this page (Japanese) can be purchased, for example, puppet sets in various designs.

is said, the custom to exhibit dolls from the Edo period. It was believed that the evil puppet Spirits and demons to include in their body and protect it with the girls from the evil. In some regions of Japan are
is also the tradition " Nagashi-Bina ." You can do paper dolls in a boat floating down the river into the sea, which should take away the evil spirits then.

After 3 March, the puppet then packed up again for next year. According to superstition, a later mean clearing away otherwise a late wedding of the daughter.

Typical foods that day are, for example, "Hina Arare " rice crackers in a red, white, yellow and green color, Hishi Mochi (diamond-shaped tri-colored rice cake), chirashi-zushi and Sakura Mochi . There are drink Shirozake , a sweet, white, soft rice wine.



A traditional decoration to Hina Matsuri is also called " Tsurushi-Bina " attach a kind of mobile in which several figures from kimono fabric remnants ( Chirimen be made). These figures are intended to symbolize happiness and hope.

my daughter is almost 5 years now, since large enough and all too well understood, I have her for the festival this Hina Ningyo dolls in kimono fabric and a Otedama given in Soffbällchen Mochiform. These things I have purchased just before Christmas with Chieko Yamamoto and are now being held in good esteem.

is shown in this video how to build the platform and decorated.


This is the traditional song for Hina Matsuri, is the different items and the custom of this particular Solid described.


And here is shown how to Nagashi-Bina celebrated.

images by Katoris, Ben Cook